Special Coverage

CHICAGO – Toyota dealers in the U.S. have repaired some 220,000 vehicles with sticky pedals already and are repairing cars at the rate of more than 50,000 per day, a company official says.

Toyota Motor Corp. two weeks ago announced a recall of 2.3 million vehicles with potentially sticking pedals.

Speaking at the 2010 Chicago auto show here, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.'s Bob Carter, Toyota Div. group vice president and general manager, says the repairs are moving swiftly, with some dealers staying open around the clock repairing models at dealerships and/or offsite facilities.

The fix, a small metal reinforcing bar inserted into a spring of the accelerator pedal, is "very effective, simple and last's the life of the vehicle," he says.

Carter also says software to repair Prius models recalled by Toyota Tuesday has arrived at dealerships, ahead of mailings to customers. Prius owners can take their cars to their dealership for the fix regardless of whether they have received a recall notice.

Toyota will begin mailings this week to Prius owners affected by the recall for a loss of braking over rough surfaces. Owners of the Lexus HS 250h, also affected by the same recall, will be mailed notices in the next few weeks.

Carter emphasizes Toyota is certain it does not have an electrical issue with its vehicles, despite reports by owners who are skeptical that sticky pedals or ill-fitting floor mats are the cause of their unintended acceleration.

"There's simply nothing there we can even come close to indicating that electronic controls would be causing unintended acceleration."